Tuesday, 12 January 2016

Innovation Boosts Study of Fragile Biological Samples

Researchers at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
have found a simple new way to study very delicate biological
samples–like proteins at work in photosynthesis and components of
protein-making machines called ribosomes–at the atomic scale using SLAC's X-ray laser.

Hasan DeMirci, a SLAC scientist with the Stanford PULSE Institute who
teamed up with graduate student Raymond Sierra on the new system, has
been using the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray laser–a DOE
Office of Science User Facility–to zero in on the details of ribosomes at work.
In addition to their universal role in deciphering the genetic code to
build proteins, ribosomes are also important targets for antibiotic
treatments.